Mental health

Here is the truth that no one wants to hear: Our mental health system is broken.

As a health care worker, I am calling for the American Medical Association, the American Psychology Association and the American Nurses Association to finally take a stand.

Most people who attempt and/or complete suicide have given multiple warnings and pleas for help, but we as a society do not hear them nor do we notice the signs.

Too many people around our country are screaming for help that they are not getting. Too many of our veterans are facing unprecedented numbers of traumatic brain injuries, PTSD and other mental health issues.

Many years ago people with severe mental health issues were institutionalized for their safety as well as for the safety of the public. With the advent of certain medications, many people were deemed cured and sent out to the world but they were ill equipped to handle life and if they stopped taking their medications, the problems returned.

We need to take an in-depth look at our mental health system and we need to restrict some persons' access to guns, but to ban guns in any form or banning certain types of guns will not solve the problem.

The problem is with people with dangerous mental illnesses that have access to guns.

Added to this complex issue is the fact that many people no longer feel safe due to the failure of our judicial system and so many people view guns as a necessity. Dangerous criminals released and dangerous mental health issues add up to tragedy.

ROGER WILSON, RN, BSN

Louisville 40228 -

Amphitheater history

I am happy to see that Iroquois Amphitheater will be marking its 75th anniversary this coming Sunday with a special celebration. However, in the article in the Neighborhoods section this week the statement was made regarding use of the amphitheater in the 1980s and '90s that it "caught the wave of interest in casual outdoor concerts ..."

This statement dismisses the primary use of the amphitheater during this time. It should have been mentioned that due to the vision and tenacity of Kathryn Paris Meade in the early '80s, the Iroquois Park Players was founded. This theater group eventually became Music Theatre Louisville and for approximately 15 years performed wonderful Broadway-style musicals at the amphitheater.

These were glorious summer nights of entertainment for our family and so many others here in the Louisville area and is an important part of the amphitheater's history.

BEVERLY EDWARDS

Louisville 40242 -

'Newsroom' quote

Although I fully agree with the sentiments of the letter attributed to W. McAvoy on Sept. 20, I must point out that the quote came from the most recent episode of HBO's "The Newsroom." Jeff Daniels spoke those lines as the main character responding to a character questioning his criticism of Republican candidates. Now, if one of Nucky Thompson's many victims would just write in in support of stricter gun laws, that would be a journalistic coup!

WARREN McEUEN

Carrollton, Ky. 41008 -

Fictional writer

Not only do I not care for your new format, but now you're printing letters from fictional TV characters? How far the mighty C-J has fallen!

BARBARA WEBB

Louisville 40204 -

Casting his lot with the homeless

I was amused, and saddened, to read of the reaction to Glen James, the homeless man from Boston who returned a lost backpack containing thousands of dollars. He has been recognized and rewarded, apparently out of prejudicial beliefs that all homeless individuals lack integrity and thus, he is "the exception."

I volunteer regularly with homeless individuals and can vouch for the integrity of many, many individuals. I can attest to the fact that Mr. James is certainly not the exception. Thus I was amused that national media believed this was so exceptional that it was worthy of national coverage.

I was saddened, however, to read of Mr. James in the context of Friday's story reporting that the GOP voted to cut food resources by $39 billion, directly impacting the homeless and poor. This action occurs amidst articles too numerous to list, reporting the increasing poverty in Louisville, Kentucky and our country. Sadly, our representatives have failed to move from charity to justice and are also willing to play on societal prejudices including a belief that Mr. James is the "exception."

When it comes to integrity, I know where I stand when viewing the actions of the homeless and our elected representatives. Please know I, for one, cast my lot with the homeless.

DAVID LESLIE

Louisville 40204 -

Voters, remember

The current attempt of Congress to destroy the Affordable Care Act before the public has the chance to realize the aptness of its name is shameful. The act is wrongly characterized as a job-killer and a waste of taxpayers' money. At the same time, the same Congress is voting to deny food stamps to thousands of people, many of them hard-working citizens or children who can't get by without them. In my estimation, the biggest waste of taxpayer funds is paying this abominable excuse for a Congress. I think we, the people, are surely smarter than this. Remember who's to blame the next time they shut the whole government down just to try to have their way.